


Guiding Light

by Juno999



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Academy Arc, Bylaude, Canonical Character Death, Claudeleth, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Minor Spoilers, Parent Death, Pre-Time Skip
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:20:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23498905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juno999/pseuds/Juno999
Summary: Who stays by your side even in most trying of times? Who is your comfort and anchor? Who inspires you? Who do you admire?For Claude and Byleth the answer is easy.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Claude von Riegan
Kudos: 10





	Guiding Light

Cold raindrops were falling on her face and mixing with Byleth’s tears. She slumped next to the body of her father, unable to move. He always remarked, how she had a herd time expressing her emotions. Yet, in his final moments Jeralt got to see his daughter cry and somehow it brought him peace. He was long gone by the time she was openly weeping in front of her students. She was in that moment powerless. Byleth felt like they were finally getting closer. She was becoming a little more expressive and Jeralt was ready top open up about his past. Now he was gone. Her only family was gone and Byleth was all alone in this world.  
“Hey Teach,” she heard Claude’s voice. “We need to get back to the monastery. It’s not safe here. Cronya’s allies might be near by.”  
He was right of course. This place was not safe at all, but Byleth was too taken by her grief to move away. All of the Golden Deer stayed by her side, but felt too distant to her. She watched with disinterest, as Marianne led everyone in mournful prayer to the Goddess. Hilda was consoling Leonie, who seemed as devastated as Byleth was, if not more. Lysithea was trying to hold back her tears. Ignatz came back from a scout out and affirmed that the road back to monastery was clear. Then Raphael and Lorenz picked up Jeralt’s body and headed in the direction of Garreg Mach. Byleth protested, clinging to her father, but a light arm around her shoulder, holding her back. It was Claude, of course.  
“Captain Jeralt will need a proper burial,” he said softly. “You will be able to say your goodbyes, once we are back at the monastery.”  
“I couldn’t protect him,” she sobbed. “I couldn’t protect my father.” Claude kneeled next to her, allowing Byleth to lean on his shoulder. “Captain Jeralt, taught you well,” he struggled to find the right words. “But I wonder, if he wanted to protect you instead. He loved you dearly and he would do anything to avoid you getting hurt. Even giving his own life. That is what parents do for their children.”  
Byleth looked up. The house leader she has been teaching for the past year was still there, yet somehow he seemed different. Claude wore his usual confident smile like a guard, rarely letting anyone see the true face behind his facade. Now that smile was absent, his expression was gentle and sorrowful, but deep inside his green eyes she could almost see a golden glow.  
“Come on Teach, let's go. We already lost our captain tonight we can’t loose you as well.”  
“What good am I?”  
“You are our brilliant professor. You are our support, our council, our mentor,” Claude paused for a moment and smiled softly. “Byleth, you are my friend. I won’t be able to live with myself, if I let you stay in this dangerous place a minute longer. Once we are back to the monastery, I promise I will be with you and grieve with you. Or let you be alone if you want to be left alone. But we need to get to safety first.”  
The support of his body, his kind word and the warm glow of his smile, made Byleth forget about the cold rain. Even though the sky was covered with dark clouds, even though she could see her breath and her clothes were drenched in cold rain, she could feel the warm glow of radiating from him.  
“You are like the sun,” she said, slowly raising her hand to touch his face. “You share your light with everyone.”  
Claude caught her hand with his and brought back his guarded expression. “You could not be more wrong. I only reflect the light you give to me,” he responded. “But the shadow I carry is darker than anyone’s.” Claude moved his left arm from her shoulders to her waist and helped her rise up, still not letting go of her hand.  
“Let’s get out of here, shall we,” he said once again.   
Byleth nodded and let Claude lead her back to the monastery grounds. He never let go of her hand, not even once they got back to Garreg Mach. They didn’t speak for the rest of the night. Still Byleth couldn’t shake the feeling that she was following the warmth and light that Claude was radiating. He might not be the sun, but that evening he was her guiding light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright folks, As I explained in my other Claudeleth fic, I originally had a different plan for this one.   
> This one was a long time in the making, as I had an idea for it, back during my first run of Three Houses, back in the summer.  
> It finally has form, and I really love it.  
> Claude, as usual, is a fun character to write and I love exploring his themes. His symbolism is kinda hard to place, as from his design and personality, he is a sunshine boy, through and through. But the Crest of house Riegan is shaped like a moon crescent and ir is associated with Star Dragon and Moon Arcana. Confusing, no? I tried to reflect that in the fanfic.  
> I hope you all enjoy!  
> Part two will follow eventually, and will be set in War Arc timeline.


End file.
